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Familiar Republican-Democrat split is evident in school safety approaches

Republicans want more police, penalties, Democrats want to make it easier to take guns away

Rick Karlin| on
March 6, 2018

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, surrounded by his fellow Assembly members, announces that the Assembly will take up and pass the Dream Act, during a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union) less

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, surrounded by his fellow Assembly members, announces that the Assembly will take up and pass the Dream Act, during a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in ... more

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New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, surrounded by his fellow Assembly members, announces that the Assembly will take up and pass the Dream Act, during a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union) less

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, surrounded by his fellow Assembly members, announces that the Assembly will take up and pass the Dream Act, during a press conference on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in ... more

Familiar Republican-Democrat split is evident in school safety approaches

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ALBANY —School safety is shaping up to be the latest front in the endless fight between the Democratic controlled Assembly and the Republican-led Senate in the legislature.

While Senate Republicans on Monday unveiled their response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting that killed 17 at a school in Parkland, Fla, Assembly Democrats — in step with their Democratic counterparts in the Senate — offered their own vision on Tuesday.

From a political and ideological standpoint, the differences were no surprise.

Senate Republicans offered a package of bills that emphasized putting more police and "hardening" security in schools.

The proposals by Assembly Democrats focused largely on keeping guns away from people who may pose a danger to others.

What remains to be seen is whether the two parties can come together by the end of the session in June. If not, the gun-violence proposals could become another perennial disagreement like earlier fights over the Dream Act, abortion rights and other social issues.

The Assembly's proposals, which mirror those put forth in the past two weeks by Senate Democrats, include allowing judges to block a person's access to firearms if they are determined, after a hearing, likely to harm themselves or others. Another bill would extend from three to 10 days the waiting period for federal background checks needed to buy a gun. The Democrats also have proposed banning the possession or use of bump stocks, which increase a gun's firing capacity.

Additionally, The Democrats want to prohibit those convicted of domestic violence from having access to firearms.

The Senate package included measures to put more police on school campuses — including allowing retired police to collect their pensions and a school-security officer salary; tougher penalties for violence on or near school grounds or places where more than 25 people are gathered; and increased technology such as metal detectors and personal-safety alarms that teachers can use.

Senate Republicans are also calling for more mental health services on school campuses.

On Monday afternoon, the tensions between the two parties on gun violence solutions was revealed on the Senate floor, where Democrats referred to portions of the Republican's plan — notably using sale of vanity license plates to help fund armed security officers in schools — as "hair-brained" and "stupid."

Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, who sponsored the license plate bill, responded heatedly by telling his Democratic colleagues to look up the word "hypocrite" in the dictionary and suggested they would see a photo of themselves.

When asked if there's any hope for a compromise with Senate Republicans, Assembly Democratic Majority Speaker Carl Heastie said: “Hopefully were convincing our colleagues this is the right way to go.”

Democrats in the Assembly and the Senate both have vehemently opposed any plans to put more guns in schools, whether by arming security officers or teachers. They said the costly measures would do nothing to stem mass shootings in malls, churches, concerts or other gathering places and that it is more about stemming access to high-powered weapons.

“We don’t think more guns on top of students is the answer,” Heastie said. “I don’t think there’s any room for us is putting guns in schools.”

As in so many Republican-Democratic disputes, both sides are reflecting their constituencies.

On the issue of gun violence, police unions and other law enforcement groups have embraced some of the measures put forth by Republicans.

Shortly after last month's mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., for instance, the state Sheriff’s Association called for putting a police officer in every school.

Assembly Democrats, on the other hand, have close relations with lawyers’ groups and many of their ideas focus on changing statutes regarding gun ownership.

The list of topics upon which Assembly Democrats and Senate Republicans disagree is a long one.

The Dream Act, abortion rights, protections for transgender people, as well as drug enforcement versus treatment are all points of contention.

Other disagreements center on a “millionaire’s tax” and campaign finance reform.

It remains unclear whether the two sides will reach a compromise on any measures to increase school safety or reduce gun violence, or whether the issue becomes a rallying point that the two sides invoke come election time.

Part of that could depend on how deeply Gov. Andrew Cuomo wades into the fight.

Last week, Cuomo said that he supports the measures put forth by Senate Democrats but stressed that gun-violence reduction is a federal issue. States can strengthen their gun laws, he said, but it won't stop someone from bringing high-powered weapons illegally across state borders.

Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi on Tuesday reiterated the governor’s stance that the federal government needs to act.

"We‎ support further strengthening the strongest gun safety laws in the country, and look forward to discussing proposals to do that with the Assembly and Senate, but as the governor said, to most effectively curb gun violence we need federal action and the lack of federal action on this is alarming,” Azzopardi said.

New York already has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws. The SAFE Act, as it's known, was passed in the wake of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Ct., five years ago.

Some observers wonder whether Cuomo, who is said to harbor presidential ambitions, may see the deadlock as an opportunity to cut a deal. “I can’t imagine he’ll sit this one out,” said one veteran lobbyist.